African violet plant named Reggi

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of African violet named Reggi is provided. This cultivar exhibits a compact miniature rosettte growth habit, dark green pubescent foliage, and forms in abundance on upright peduncles attractive semi-double zygomorphic rotate bicolored flowers which are medium blue with white slightly undulated petal margins. The plant advantageously has a very floriferous habit with the flowering continuing for many weeks following its onset.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Africanviolet plant, botanically known as Saintpaulia ionantha, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name Reggi.

The new cultivar is the product of a planned breeding program and wasreferred to during the breeding and selection process by the designation087-193-004. The basic objective of the breeding program was to create anew miniature bicolored African violet cultivar having an abundance ofmedium blue flowers possessing white slightly undulated petal marginswhich are borne on upright peduncles, dark green foliage, and aminiature compact growth habit.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made in this breeding programat Hannover, West Germany. The female and male parents are unknown atthis time. The discovery and selection of the new cultivar occuredduring 1987.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by leaf cuttings, as performedby me at Hannover, West Germany and at Fallbrook, Calif., U.S.A. hasdemonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosedfor the new cultivar are firmly fixed and are retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual propagation.Reggi has not beenobserved under all possible environmental conditions to date.Accordingly, the phenotype may vary significantly with variations in theenvironment, such as temperature, light intensity, day length, etc.

The observations, measurements, and values expressed herein describe thenew cultivar when grown under greenhouse conditions at Hannover, WestGermany. These conditions are believed to closely approximate thosecommonly used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are believed tobe the basic characteristics of Reggi which in combination distinguishit as being a new and distinct African violet cultivar:

(a) forms attractive bicolored medium blue semi-double zygomorphicrotate flowers having white slightly undulated petal margins,

(b) forms dark green pubescent foliage comprising oval leaves with avery slightly crenate margin having a narrow apex and a cordate base,

(c) exhibits a compact miniature rosette growth habit with the flowersbeing held erect above the foliage on upright peduncles, and

(d) exhibits a very floriferous habit with the flowers continuing toopen for many weeks after the onset of flowering.

The flowers commonly exhibit a diameter of approximately 3 to 3.5 cm.When started as 6 to 8 leaf-stage plantlets, Reggi commonly finishes in8 to 10 weeks when grown in 5 to 6 cm. pots depending upon the growingconditions encountered.

Since the new cultivar is considered to be unique, it is not meaningfulto compare its characteristics to those of any previously known Africanviolet variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same, in color illustrations of this character,typical specimens of the plant and flowers of the new cultivar. Theplants of the new variety were grown in a greenhouse at Hannover, WestGermany.

FIG. 1 illustrates a typical specimen of the overall plant of the newcultivar wherein the compact growth habit, foliage and blossoms areshown, and

FIG. 2 illustrates from above at the right four typical flowers of thenew cultivar, and at the left a portion of a page from the R.H.S. ColourChart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, for comparativepurposes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors described hereafteris that of The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart) exceptwhere general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance areexpressed. The color values were taken under natural daylight conditionsat 2 p.m. at Hannover, West Germany.

Botanical classification: Saintpaulia ionantha, Ramat., cv. Reggi.

Parentage: Unknown.

Propagation: The new cultivar holds its distinguishing characteristicsthrough successive propagations by leaf cuttings.

Plant: Commonly approximately 3.5 to 4.5 cm. tall when grown in pots,and approximately 12 to 13 cm. in diameter when fully grown. The growthrate of plant is vigorous and the general shape of the fully grown plantis miniature compact and rosette.

Leaves:

Quantity.--Abundant.

Shape.--Oval shaped with a very slightly crenate margin, having a narrowapex and a cordate base.

Size.--Approximately 3 cm. in length on average×approximately 2.5 cm. inwidth on average.

Texture.--Pubescent and glossy.

Ribs and veins.--Pinnate.

Color -- upper surface.--Green Group 139A.

Color -- under surface.--Greyed-Purple Group 187D.

Petioles---Greyed-Purple Group 185A.

Flowers:

Buds.--Size: Approximately 0.5×0.5 cm. Shape: Round. Rate of opening:Normal

Sepals.--Shape: 5 in number, lanceolate. Color: Greyed-Purple Group185A.

Phyllaries.--Shape: 2 in number, lanceolate. Color: Brownish-green.

Calyx.--Size: Approximately 0.5 cm. in diameter on average. Shape:Funnel-shaped. Aspect: Pubescent.

Peduncle.--Length: Approximately 2.5 to 3.5 cm. on average. Character:Erect, rigid. Color: Greyed-Purple Group 185A.

Individual Flowers:

Number of petals.--Semi-double, commonly 5 at the outer layer and 3 to 5at the inner layer.

Size.--A diameter of approximately 3 to 3.5 cm. and a depth ofapproximately 1 cm. commonly are exhibited.

Shape.--Semi-double zygomorphic rotate.

Color -- upper surface. --Bicolored, Violet-Purple Group 91A with amargin of White Group 155A.

Color -- under surface.--Violet-Purple Group 92C. The flower colorationcan vary somewhat due to the amount of light, fertilizer, temperatureand other growing conditions.

Bearing.--Cymose clusters on upright peduncles.

Flowering habit.--Flowers profusely and intermittently throughout theyear with blooms commonly lasting approximately 3 to 4 weeks after whichpetals dry up but do not drop; finishes in approximately 8 to 10 weekswhen a 6 to 8 leaf-stage plantlet is grown in a 5 to 6 cm. pot.

Reproductive organs:

Stamens.--Borne singly on one side of the ovary; 2 anthers arebasifixed. Anthers: 2 in number; monodelphous arrangement; approximately0.1×0.1 cm.; yellow. Filaments: approximately 0.3 to 0.4 cm.; bicolored,blue and yellow. Pollen color: Yellow

Pistils.--Number: 1 in number. Styles: Approximately 0.5 to 0.7 cm. inlength. Stigma: Sticky, white. Ovaries: Hypogynous and tomentose.

Disease resistance: No African violet diseases have been observed todate.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of African violet plant namedReggi characterized by the following combination of characteristics:(a)forms attractive bicolored medium blue semi-double zygomorphic rotateflowers having white slightly undulated petal margins, (b) forms darkgreen pubescent foliage comprising oval leaves with a very slightlycrenate margin having a narrow apex and a cordate base, (c) exhibits acompact miniature rosette growth habit with the flowers being held erectabove the foliage on upright peduncles, and (d) exhibits a veryfloriferous habit with the flowers continuing to open for many weeksafter the onset of flowering;substantially as herein shown anddescribed.